Ex-Rockies general manager Gebhard may be rising in Arizona
By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News
August 5, 2005
SAN FRANCISCO - Former Rockies general manager Bob Gebhard is in line to be named at least the interim general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
An announcement could come this weekend when the Rockies are play a three-game series at Bank One Ballpark.
Gebhard, fired by the Rockies at the end of the 1999 season, was a special assistant to Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty for five years and took a similar job in Arizona for this season after St. Louis restructured its staff and Gebhard would have been put in charge of amateur scouting on the West Coast.
Arizona general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. announced earlier this week he was resigning effective Aug. 15 to work in the commissioner's office. CEO Jeff Moorad has indicated he probably will put someone in the role on an interim basis, then evaluate candidates after the season.
Gebhard has made no secret about his desire to get another opportunity to run a team. How he fits in the plans in Arizona, where the power structure has changed in the past year with new owners having forced out Jerry Colangelo, the original CEO, and brought in Moorad, who had been a players' agent, is uncertain.
When Garagiola hired Gebhard in the fall, Moorad was in the process of talking with former Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos general manager Dan Duquette about replacing Garagiola. Whether those conversations will be rekindled after Garagiola's resignation remains to be seen.
Moorad had Gebhard fly to Phoenix on Wednesday to discuss the status of the team, which is 53-57 but only one game behind the National League West-leading San Diego Padres.
Gebhard told The Arizona Republic that Moorad is close to deciding on an interim general manager.
"He recognizes that sooner is better than later," Gebhard said. "The sooner he gets that person in place, whoever it may be, the better off we're going to be. The thing that we have to be careful of, and we have all the people in place, is that nothing slides through the cracks as Joe leaves."
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